Christa Pike, a 50-year-old Tennessee death row inmate, has survived a botched execution after receiving two doses of the barbiturate pentobarbital. Although she was taken to the hospital unconscious and declared brain dead on Monday, Pike woke up on Tuesday. Her attorneys report that she is now conscious, speaking, and up and walking, marking a dramatic turnaround after plans had already been made to remove her from life support.
Despite this recovery, Pike remains very sick and continues to be handcuffed and shackled to her hospital bed. She is suffering from pneumonia, severe swelling, and burned and blistered arms, which have caused her difficulty eating and moving her arms. Her lawyers state that Pike is angry and confused regarding the failed execution effort.
A judge has ordered Tennessee state officials to preserve all evidence related to the botched execution. In the wake of the incident, the state has suspended executions for the remainder of the year, and the prison chief has resigned. Believed to be the first person to survive after receiving lethal drugs during an execution, Pike's ordeal has galvanized critics of the death penalty.